


Haikyuu!! Kisses Series (Ushijima x Reader)

by ThatGinjahNinja



Series: Haikyuu!! Kisses [12]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Childhood Friends, F/M, First Kiss, Inspired by Fanart, Kissing, Romance, ceejles, fan fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-15
Updated: 2016-08-15
Packaged: 2018-08-08 21:05:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7773343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatGinjahNinja/pseuds/ThatGinjahNinja
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Ceejles on Tumblr ( <a class="external" href="http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?http://ceejles.tumblr.com/">ceejles.tumblr.com/</a> ) has some fantastic fanart for various Haikyuu!! boys covered in smoochies and I can't stand the magnificence, so I'm writing a series. You can see all of Ceejles kiss art pieces here: <a class="external" href="http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?http://ceejles.tumblr.com/tagged/kisses">ceejles.tumblr.com/tagged/kiss…</a></p><p> </p><p>It's back! After months of personal issues, I'm back with another kisses story. I hope it lives up to the wait, and I hope you'll like what I've written for our favorite stoic, awkward, blunt bean. I'm down to only 5 more of this series to go, out of 17!! PHEW!! (Thank you so much to <span class="username-with-symbol"><a class="regular username" href="http://abvore.deviantart.com">abvore</a><span class="user-symbol regular"></span></span> who was so kind and lovely enough to beta read and give me suggestions in a couple of places where I felt stuck) Really hope someone enjoys.</p>
    </blockquote>





	Haikyuu!! Kisses Series (Ushijima x Reader)

**Author's Note:**

> Ceejles on Tumblr ( [ceejles.tumblr.com/](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?http://ceejles.tumblr.com/) ) has some fantastic fanart for various Haikyuu!! boys covered in smoochies and I can't stand the magnificence, so I'm writing a series. You can see all of Ceejles kiss art pieces here: [ceejles.tumblr.com/tagged/kiss…](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?http://ceejles.tumblr.com/tagged/kisses)
> 
>  
> 
> It's back! After months of personal issues, I'm back with another kisses story. I hope it lives up to the wait, and I hope you'll like what I've written for our favorite stoic, awkward, blunt bean. I'm down to only 5 more of this series to go, out of 17!! PHEW!! (Thank you so much to [abvore](http://abvore.deviantart.com) who was so kind and lovely enough to beta read and give me suggestions in a couple of places where I felt stuck) Really hope someone enjoys.

_You were sad again.  Ushijima hated when you were sad because it meant you wouldn't play with him.  You wouldn't race bikes or set a volleyball or even play tag.  He hated that because you were the only kid left in the neighborhood who still played with him despite the fact that he_ always _won.  He always won, but you kept accepting his challenges and you never gave up.  You were the only kid he could play with and still have any fun._

_But when your parents couldn't get their arguments under control, sometimes being loud enough that Ushijima knew they were at it from his own house, and they got you upset, you wouldn't play.  Sometimes, you wouldn't even talk to him.  You would just sit behind your garden shed, picking at grass and not making eye contact._

_He definitely hated it._

_"Want to play spies?  Ninjas?  Tea?" he asked.  Though he cringed at mentioning the last option, he was still disappointed at receiving nothing more than shakes of your head.  "What_ do _you want to do?"_

_"Nothing," you mumbled._

_He wasn't a fan of days like this.  Not only had his father been out of town again, always anxious to spend time away from Ushijima's mother and her family, but now you were upset and refusing to pay attention to him.  He felt like he couldn't win, but Ushijima couldn't have that.  "Want to swing on the tire swing?" he questioned._

_"Can I push you this time?" you asked, eyebrow raised, but still not meeting his eyes.  At least you were looking at his knees now, instead of the ground.  It was a start._

_"No.  I don't like being dizzy," he answered bluntly._

_"Hm," you hummed, clearly disappointed, eyes drifting back to the grass._

_He'd managed to give up that foothold rather easily.  He would learn to pick his battles with you better in the future.  After more of your horrible silence that Ushijima couldn't stand, he huffed, "Fine.  One time.  I'll let you spin me one time."_

_Suddenly perking up, he could see a smile tugging at the corner of your mouth before you looked to him with a full grin.  "Thanks, Toshi!  This is going to be hilarious!"_

_He really did hate to spin on the tire swing.  It made him feel sick to his stomach every time, but if it was enough to cheer you up, then it was clear which choice he would make.  He closed his eyes, which didn't seem to help once you released the tightly wound rope and let it spin rapidly in place.  Once it stopped, he could feel his stomach churn._

_"Now try to run to the back gate like I do!" you shouted, a grin evident in your voice._

_"No."_

_"Only 'cause you know you can't!" you challenged, hands on your hips, as two versions of you blurred in and out of his focus._

_With a sigh, he stood from the tire and made it three very wobbly running steps before collapsing on the ground, where you collapsed next to him in a fit of giggles.  It was annoying.  He hated when you laughed about something so stupid.  It didn't make sense to him at all.  He hated how it made even less sense that he almost looked forward to hearing it.  "Why do you even like making me do that?  There's no way it's that fun."_

_"Because you're awesome at pretty much anything you do, but even you can't be perfect at_ _every_ _thing!" you giggled, poking him in the cheek._

_He frowned.  He didn't try to make others feel bad.  He worked hard and tried his best because he liked that kind of thing, and even though he rarely said anything, it bothered him that other kids got tired of him so quickly.  "What if I beat you at everything we play some day?  Will you keep playing?  Or are you going to find someone else to be with then?"_

_You stopped laughing and poked him in the cheek harder this time, making him wince.  He stared at you, about to ask what he had done, but you beat him to it.  "Don't be stupid, Toshi.  We already promised...together forever, right?"_

_"And I told you forever seems pretty unlikely.  Do you even know how long forever is?"  You had promised, but it seemed a little unbelievable to a kid who was running so far ahead of all of his peers that he couldn't even see them anymore.  It didn't feel like anyone would put up with him for that long._

_"You know, all you have to say is 'That's right, (F/n).'"  You were staring at him hard.  He didn't know what you were looking for but it made him kind of nervous, something he rarely felt.  Finally you responded, "I'll just have to prove it to you then."_

_Before he could ask how you planned to do that, you jumped to your feet._

_"Want to play chase?" you asked, before rushing off with a squeal as he just missed grabbing your ankle._

_Scrambling to his feet to catch up, he thought maybe he wouldn't mind being wrong about you and him._  
  
= = = =

It was your own fault that your feelings were hurt, you supposed.  You knew how he was.  You had known how Wakatoshi Ushijima was since the two of you were 8 years old, once your parents had moved into the house directly behind his and the two of you had become playmates of sorts.

He was easily better than you at nearly every game you tried, and he would often refuse to play things you wanted to play because they were "a waste" of his time, something he was quick to point out any time he had spent more time with his mother's parents.  Other times, when it really mattered, he would come through the back gate to find you alone during another of your parents' blow out fights, and he would offer to play anything that might make you happy again...be it dolls or Power Rangers or secret agents or pushing you on the tire swing until you were sick.

He was awkward and kind of rude, but it didn't take you long to realize he didn't mean to be harsh and dismissive with his blunt behavior.  He didn't like how often people found him offensive, considering that there were very few people he actually had a problem being around.  He still had a hard time realizing that his brutal honesty wasn't always welcome or necessary in certain situations, but you had grown accustomed to it over time.

One thing you could always count on was his loyalty.  With no need to hide thoughts in pretty words, you knew he would never talk badly about anyone behind their back.  If he didn't like you, you would hear about it first hand.  If he didn't like something about you, he would come right out and say it...

Which is how he had hurt your feelings this time.

He had offered to take you to the big volleyball party that was being hosted by Karasuno's coaches, reminding you that managers from area teams were also meant to attend.  At the gym, helping the first and second years improve their game, Tendou and the others lamented how lucky you were.  Well, mostly just Tendou.  It was kind of odd that he had offered to take you.  Usually he did this sort of stuff with his team instead.  It wasn't like you actually _had_ to go to the party.

You looked at Ushijima to ask, "Aren't you driving them, as well?"

To which he responded, "How could I? My car seats only two people."

Tendou continued to pout dramatically, wondering aloud why you got to be the lucky person to ride in Wakatoshi's new sports car, given to him by his grandparents after being invited to the National team.  Ushijima offered no explanation, choosing instead to keep demonstrating jump serves, while Semi and Shirabu exchanged strange looks with one another.  When Tendou asked if you would trade him your passenger spot, Semi smacked him hard on the back of the head, dragging him off to the corner of the gym to scold him quietly over something.

It wasn't like you would have traded that seat with Tendou anyway.  You had something you'd been waiting to tell Toshi, and the night of the party seemed as good a time as any to do so.

After putting on your dress and make up for the event, you spent a lot of time trying different looks for your hair until you found one that you really liked.  You hoped Toshi would like it, as well.  Truth be told, you weren't sure if he even noticed things like that, but you wanted to make the attempt nevertheless.

= = = =

_The two of you had gone back and forth the last ten years falling for one another at completely the wrong times.  You had really started liking him romantically right around the time his dad left to go overseas.  His parents had been divorced for awhile, but his dad leaving caused him to start focusing on more serious volleyball at the beginning of middle school._

_When you confessed, he had simply responded like you had just asked if he wanted a drink or something.  Toshi had asked what you expected him to do about it.  He told you he was choosing professional volleyball as a career choice and that he would be very busy.  He thought if he could become a true ace player, maybe his dad would hear about it even from a different country.  Maybe he would come back._

_Not even able to fathom having a "career choice" at the beginning of middle school, you reminded yourself that you and Wakatoshi really were made of different mettle, and that it would always be that way no matter how you tried.  You avoided him for a while but when he called you out on it, you realized you couldn't stay mad at him for something like that.  Of course, he should try to find something he really loved doing.  All you really wanted was to see him happy._

_He had come through the back gate a few afternoons later, to find you threading dandelions together into a bracelet or necklace... you hadn't decided which.  When you glanced up at him, you involuntarily scowled._

_"Why does your face look like that?" he asked, already tall enough to tower above you, voice already beginning to change from a little boy's into something much deeper._

_Still scowling, you asked, "Like what?"_

_"Like you're angry," he stated._

_You felt startled, not even aware of your expression, and slowly it softened.  It wasn't that you were mad.  You were just disappointed and didn't feel like being reminded of it.  He had pretty instantly turned you down, after all, and you felt like maybe the two of you had lost something you couldn't get back._

_"I'm not angry," you answered quietly._

_"Then come set the ball for me," he requested, spinning his ball in front of him._

_He really was dense sometimes._

_You pouted, turning your attention back to your chain of flowers.  "I don't want to."_

_"Because you're still avoiding me," Toshi responded bluntly.  Maybe he wasn't as dense as he seemed._

_You said nothing.  After a few moments of silence, he crouched down in front of you, resting his volleyball on the ground.  Still you said nothing and looked ever harder at the dandelions, as if concentrating on them would make him disappear._

_He sat completely on the ground, idly rolling the ball from side to side, before asking, "Does choosing volleyball to make my dad proud mean I shouldn't come over here anymore?"_

_Surprised by the assertion, you stuttered, "W-what?"_

_"I want to play.  Maybe I'll come to like it, like dad said, but I didn't know that choosing volleyball meant we couldn't talk anymore.  I don't like that."  He was giving you his serious stare, the one that intimidated most people, but you knew it only meant he was desperate to get his point across.  "I really don't think I like that, at all."_

_"Of course, it doesn't mean that.  That wouldn't be very fair," you admitted, feeling guilty for being so harsh._

_"It's not about being fair.  I understand if you find me boring now.  It makes sense for us to grow apart, if I'm going to be so busy with volleyball."_

_He wasn't making sense to you, and it was frustrating.  "What the heck?  Are you trying to say that you want me to stay away?"_

_"No.  Weren't you listening?  I understand if you don't want things to be the same, but I don't like it.  I don't want that.  If you say I shouldn't play--"_

_"I wouldn't say that!  I know how important it is for you to make your dad proud now that he's gone!"  You really couldn't believe him sometimes._

_"So, set for me?" he asked, and it was a genuine question this time, not commands or requests like he usually gave.  There was even a hint of a smile on his face._

_Giving him a shy, little half-smile, you nodded.  He got to his feet and offered you a hand up, as well.  Though he had started walking back to his yard already, you admitted, "I think it's kind of cool that you're getting so focused on volleyball, Toshi.  I bet you're going to be the best in Japan some day."_

_He stopped walking and you ran into his back.  Before turning to face you, he asked, "Would you still be with me like this if I was the best in Japan?"_

_You couldn't deny that it was cute that he wanted you to stay friends so much.  "Of course.  Together forever, right?"_

_"Forever seems pretty unlikely," he answered.  "What if we live to be 100?"_

_"Can't you just say it, too?" you asked.  "You're such a spoil sport sometimes."_

_He put a hand on top of your head and gave you that curious stare he often gave you, trying to figure you out.  The two of you stood like that until you said, "Oh! Hold out your hand!"_

_Obeying immediately, he held it out and you tied the flower chain you had made around his wrist.  "Here," you said.  "For luck."_

_"It's not going to take luck.  It's going to take practice and skill," was his expected response._

_You laughed, before rising to your toes and giving him a quick peck on the cheek and snatching the ball away to run into his backyard.  "Just in case," you called over your shoulder._

__= = = =

"Well?  What do you think?  Do you like it?" you questioned, nervously chewing your lower lip, giving a little twirl in your backyard to show off your look.  You were excited for the party, but you were nervous for this moment.

Ushijima tilted his head...seemed to be studying you carefully.

"You look nice, but I prefer your hair how you normally wear it.  It seems like you tried really hard," he stated.

Of course, he would.  Why would you ever have expected something else?  He didn't intend to hurt your feelings, but your wasted effort stung after his words.

"Well, luckily I don't style my hair just to please Japan's great Ushiwaka," you jeered, turning away from him and crossing your arms.

"I offended you."  It wasn't really a question as much as the frank realization.

"What tipped you off?" you continued sarcastically, moving away when he tried to step closer.  "My tone of voice?  The glare?"

"You called me Ushiwaka.  I don't like it when you say it."  You couldn't help but look over your shoulder, startled by the somewhat disappointed tone in his deep voice.  

His face was about as unreadable as usual, so you let out a long, calming sigh and went to sit on your old tire swing.  Plopping down heavily, the rope creaked and the tire twisted a few times while you smoothed out your dress.

It stopped abruptly with Toshi's firm grasp on the rope, his solid thighs acting as a backboard. You looked up at him with a glare you couldn't manage to hold.  He looked enormous from your current position, and the olive color of his eyes was crystal clear in the late afternoon light.  He looked amazing all dressed up, and you were sure he hadn't put any effort into his look.  Your glare faded to a disappointed pout instead, and your attention fell down to your shoes.

"Sit on it properly."  Someone else might have thought he was bossing you about, but you knew it was only a suggestion on his part.

Scooting back a bit further and poking your head through the back of the tire, you gripped onto the rubber with your arms.  He pushed you gently a few times, leaving the two of you in silence except for the creak of the old rope.  Stopping you again, he began to wind the tire, twisting it slowly until he would let go to allow you a spin.

You sighed again, wondering aloud, "Can't you just compliment me sometimes?"

As he spun you to face him, he looked puzzled.  "I did.  I said you look nice."

Grimacing, you said, "Yeah, but you followed that with an insult."

"It wasn't an insult.  I only meant-"

"What did we talk about?  You don't get to decide whether your words hurt people.  My reaction is _my_ reaction, Toshi, and I'm telling you that I felt incredibly insulted when you said that."

His eyes shifted guiltily.  "I'm sorry.  It wasn't my intention to hurt you, but you know that, don't you?  You usually know that."

All you could do was sigh.  It wasn't like you didn't know how he was...  "I know.  I do know that."

"I only meant that you don't have to try anything different for me to find you beautiful," he said plainly, still clutching the tire, but not making eye contact.

The compliment sent butterflies fluttering madly around your insides.  Maybe the two of you weren't on such different pages, after all.

"Toshi," you began, "Why aren't I good enough to be with you?"

His eyes widened into saucers, a look of disbelief you'd never seen on his face before.

"Why would you think that?" he asked, pulling you out of the tire swing before you could spin.  "You've always been good enough."

"I don't mean as best friends," you whispered, looking away from his intense stare.  

= = = =

_Just before the two of you started high school, Ushijima confessed._

_The problem was you had just started dating someone only two weeks earlier.  It had taken more of your free time, of course, and you were certain Wakatoshi was only confessing because he thought the two of you would no longer be friends if he didn't._

_He only wanted you now because someone else had you and Toshi didn't like to lose.  At least, that's what you told him._

_But Ushijima knew that wasn't true.  The fact that you had a boyfriend now_ did _bother him.  It bothered him tremendously, in a way not much else ever had.  It wasn't because he didn't like to lose, though.  It was because he thought he had already won._

_You never left him.  When he had asked if things should change between you back when you were 12 and you had assured him that needn't be the case, he thought he could play ball and the two of you would be just the two of you forever._

_He was a late bloomer understanding about dating and kissing and other things like that.  By the time he figured it out, he wasn't sure how to approach it.  For the first time in his life, Ushijima didn't know how to just come right out and say something.  Before he could work out how to tell you how often you dominated his thoughts, he found out you were seeing someone, and he found out in the worst way possible._

_He opened the back gate to the sight of you tangled up, kissing some guy on your back stoop, not coming up for air.  He felt disgusting for standing there silently, but he couldn't make his feet move._

_When the two of you broke apart, you looked over to see him there and turned pink._

_Ushijima didn't mean to charge forward and grab the kid by the arm and growl intimidatingly, "Get out of here!  And don't come back!"_

_"No!" you shouted at him, smacking him on the chest.  "No."  Turning to the now frightened-looking boy, you asked him to wait inside for just a minute, before turning back to glare at Ushijima._

_"What do you think you're doing to my boyfriend, Wakatoshi?"_

_Ushijima suddenly felt heat at the back of his neck, embarrassment over being so blind.  "What do you mean, 'boyfriend?'  I thought you liked me?"_

_You were staring at him like he'd sprouted wings.  "Yeah, when we were 12, dummy!  But you didn't want this kind of thing, remember?  You don't like me that way."_

_"I do like you!" Ushijima asserted, confused as to why you weren't already aware of that.  He spent all of his little free time with you._

_Groaning, you ran the palm of your hand down your face. "Ugh!  Don't do this now."_

_"I don't know what you mean," he responded honestly._

_"You don't like to lose, Toshi.  You don't like me, but you don't want me to like anyone better than you either, and that's not fair!"_

_The words stung.  Ushijima had never been one to be hurt by words alone, but these stung.  "So you like him better than me?"_

_"I--"  Your cheeks turned red and your eyes grew wide, but quickly your face changed into a scowl.  "You're thinking about this too hard.  I want a boyfriend, Toshi.  I want someone who wants to kiss me and hold my hand and be romantic.  Those just aren't your kind of things, and it's okay.  I realized I don't have to depend on you for that."_

_"That's what I-" want to give you...he was going to say, but you didn't wait for him to finish._

_"Why are you doing this?  Are you afraid I'll leave you behind?  That's not going to happen," you said, putting a hand on his arm.  "I'll still set for you.  I'll still cheer you on at your games.  You're still going to become the best volleyball player in Japan, and I'm going to watch it all.  You just won't be the only boy I spend time with now."_

_He didn't like that, but you weren't listening, and he didn't know what words to choose to make you listen._

_"I'm going inside now," you said.  "Don't be angry that I want to try something new."_

_"I'm not angry," Ushijima said, and he meant it.  He wasn't angry.  He was confused.  He was disappointed.  He wanted to try something new, too, and the whole conversation almost made him dizzy...and he hated it._

_"Good," you smiled.  "Together forever, right?"_

_But you didn't wait for him to respond this time.  You bounded up the stairs and into your house, out of his sight._

_Ushijima reached in his pocket to finger the dried out little chain of flowers you'd given him three years ago.  Turning to go back to his house, he mumbled, "I knew luck wasn't real."_

__= = = =

"I don't mean as best friends, either.  We've always been more than best friends," Wakatoshi said firmly.

Your heart fell.  With a heavy sigh, you mumbled, "Yeah.  Yeah.  I know.  I got it.  We're like family by now, huh?"

You didn't bother to look at him.  It was too embarrassing.  Just once you wished the boy you loved wasn't so blunt and awkward about feelings.  You wished he could give you the romance you wanted from him.  Deciding he would never figure that out, saying, "I need to go get my purse," before rushing away from him.

Only a few steps separated you from your back door when you felt Wakatoshi directly behind you.  He looped an arm around your waist, stopping you from escaping inside, and stooped low to capture you lips in a brief but tender kiss.  He pulled back with a light tug on your lower lip that sent sparks shooting through you at a lightning pace.

"Toshi!" you shouted in surprise.

He didn't release his hold around your waist, and you didn't struggle against him, too shocked by his sudden outburst.  Even more surprising, he didn't stand back up to full height, choosing to let his breath ghost across your temple.  "I've wanted to do that for a long time, (F/n).  I've thought about it more times than I can count...inappropriate times, even right in the middle of a match.  You told me not to think about it too hard.  I thought you would be disappointed if you knew I wasn't focusing only on volleyball anymore.  I did try, but I haven't been able to stop.  Are you angry?"

You shook your head slowly from side to side, still staring up at him with astonishment.  He liked you?  He thought about kissing you?  When had you ever told him not to think about it--

He interrupted your stunned silence.  "If you're not angry, could I try that again?  A little longer, perhaps?"

Words failing you for the moment, you nodded a simple yes.

"Yes, I can kiss you?" he confirmed, but you didn't answer him a second time, choosing instead to throw your arms around his broad shoulders and drag him close enough to you that you could reach for the kiss yourself.

You felt like maybe this was one of your many dreams, but the more you kissed him, the more you felt the warm pressure from his lips on you, the more you knew it wasn't.  You littered him with kisses, not even sure of every place you had marked until he took your face in his hands to steady you.

His kiss was firm and strong, direct in a way that was maddeningly honest, the same as Wakatoshi had always done everything--but the touch he had against your cheeks was so light that you couldn't believe it was really him.  Reaching up, you clutched one of his hands, which he brought down to rest between the two of you on his chest.

Though outwardly he seemed as composed as always, his heartbeat was hammering excitedly in his chest.  His lips fit perfectly over yours, and he stood there softly tasting you until your knees began to tremble.

When you finally parted, he was looking down to you with an expression you didn't get to see often.  In fact, you may have never seen one exactly like this.  He looked so confident and bold, as always, but a fond smile tugged the corners of his lips gently up towards almost shining eyes.  He had lipstick marks everywhere and he had never looked sexier in his life, as far as you were concerned, not even when he stood on the court those times at Nationals, confident in his ability and his team.

Unusually, he said nothing.  He continued to just smile at you, one hand laced with yours, the other still against your cheek.

"Well?" you asked, putting both hands on your hips.

"Well what?"

"Come on, Wakatoshi!  You're not even going to compliment me on my kis--" but the complaint was swallowed up as he scooped you in his arms and crushed his lips to yours again, humming happily over the feel of you.

=  =  =  =

Ushijima broke the kiss only long enough to lower you onto the tire swing before crouching in front of you to meet your perfect lips again.  In a matter of moments Ushijima knew there were few things in his life that felt as amazing as his lips on yours...hearing praise from his father, smashing a volleyball, and topping them all, a kiss from the girl who had been with him through everything.

Pulling away from your lips, he stared at you, dazed that something so simple and amazing had been this close to him all this time.  You squirmed under his heavy gaze, unsure what exactly was happening, but still there was a smile on your face, as well.

"We're going to be late," you muttered nervously, hand still clutching the sleeve of his jacket.

"I don't care."  He felt spellbound, something he had definitely never experienced, and wild horses wouldn't have been able to pull him away from this moment.

"They'll think you're a poor loser," you huffed.

"I don't care," the more he came to his senses, the more adamant his replies became.  Even reminding him that his team had lost to Karasuno wouldn't be enough to pull him away.

Your eyebrows were pinched with concern, hand coming up to brush at his bangs.  Your soft touch felt unbelievable.  "Won't your family be irritated if you get a reputation like that?"  Not even his strict family would be enough.

"I don't care."

"Toshi, if your dad hears, he might think you care more about me than your volleyball career."

"Always," he answered firmly, deeply, bringing his hands to your cheeks to make sure you were really paying attention.

"What?"  The soft surprised happiness on your face was lovely.  He wanted to see more of you like this.

"I've always cared more about you than volleyball.  Always."  His thumb was caressing your cheek, enjoying the feel of your skin in a way he'd never touched you.

Still confused about whether it was safe to believe him, you said, "You don't have to do that, Toshi.  Volleyball's important.  I don't mind being second."

"You're not.  You've never been second in this, (F/n)."  He could tell you didn't totally believe him, and he supposed he couldn't blame you, but the only thing he knew to do was to be as honest as he always was.

"I'm sorry I don't always say the right things or act the right way, but you're the only person I've ever felt this way for," Ushijima asserted, pulling you to your feet, still slightly mesmerized by the light in your eyes.  Clearing his throat, he demanded, "Don't say you don't mind being second.  I mind that you would think that, and I would mind if I were second."

Quick to respond, you assured him, "You're definitely not."  He didn't think it was possible for him to find you prettier than he already did, but the way you were looking at him with such fondness, the way you clutched onto him like you never wanted him to let go...you were beautiful.  It really made him feel like something special.

"There's one thing I'll never be able to win against you.  I thought you were crazy, but now I know what you said is right."  When you tilted your head trying to puzzle out his meaning, he said, "We're going to be together forever."

You laughed the laugh he always looked forward to hearing, before pulling him along to his car, so that the two of you could still make an appearance with the rest of Shiratorizawa.  At the passenger side door, though, he spun you around to face him.

"Let me try that kiss one more time."


End file.
